Killer guilty of shocking new attack

Andrew Pilkington - jailed

Lynda Roughley

Published:10:53Friday 23 September 2016

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A notorious killer facing trial for yet another violent attack has admitted his guilt.

Andrew Pilkington had been due to go before a jury yesterday at Liverpool Crown Court, but changed his plea to guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm against Dennis Williams on October 25 last year.

It is inevitable their will be a prison sentence

Judge Neil Flewitt QC

The 35-year-old has already admitted a GBH charges against another man, David Johnson, outside the Queen’s nightclub in Ashton on February 28 this year.

He confessed to that assault after a relative of the victim filmed him afterwards and police later found CCTV footage of the attack.

Pilkington has an appalling criminal record. In 2001 he was jailed for nine years along with his brother Darren for the brutal killing of Hindley man Paul Akister.

Another of his crimes came five years ago when he admitted his part in a savage gang attack on an ex-Marine, bursting into his bedroom and battering him as he lay there naked. For that crime he was given another two years.

The hearing was told he also has four convictions for wounding and two for causing actual bodily harm.

Darren Pilkington, meanwhile, is currently awaiting a parole hearing that could soon seen him released from his second manslaughter jail sentence: that of killing 19-year-old Carly Fairhurst

Judge Neil Flewitt, QC, adjourned sentence on Andrew Pilkington, of Bridgewater Street, Hindley, until October 21 to enable a probation report to be prepared about whether he is a dangerous offender.

“It is inevitable there will be a prison sentence,” he warned Pilkington, who appeared in the dock wearing a white shirt, dark tie and dark trousers.

The judge also asked the prosecution to provide up-to-date impact statements from his latest two victims.

At the time of the attack on Mr Johnson, the hearing was told, Pilkington was on bail for the earlier assault on Mr Williams and also had a suspended prison sentence hanging over him for aggravated vehicle-taking imposed last December.

Dan Travers, defending, said that the two offences for which he is to be sentenced both involved a single punch outside licensed premises in the early hours of the morning.

He pointed out that he had changed his plea to guilty today to injuring Mr Williams despite a vital witness not attending court yesterday.